The Fourth of July is fast approaching, and if you’re planning on hosting a gathering, let Zup’s help you!
You may not know this, but both the Babbitt and Erie stores carry items that are exclusive to their stores, so if you normally only shop at one of them, we recommend checking out the other store from time to time.
Recently, I was talking with one of the butchers at Babbitt’s Zapp about their wide selection of bratwursts, and he mentioned that the Birch Lake bratwurst is his most popular flavor.
Birch Lake Brats are seasoned with caramelized onions, garlic, slightly spicy red pepper and creamy mozzarella, and I decided to give them an Italian-American twist with a bruschetta topping, blueberry balsamic glaze and mozzarella stars.
If you have a large crowd coming over, you might want to choose a few different flavors. Babbitt Zup’s fully cooked brat flavors include Salsa, Apple, Bloody Mary, Green Onion, Philly Cheese, Bacon Ranch, Jalapeño Cheddar, Nacho Cheese, Buffalo Blue, Birch Lake, Wild Rice, Cranberry Wild Rice, Homestyle, Korean BBQ, Porchetta, Bacon Cheeseburger, Cajun, Beer, Hawaiian and more.
Ed Zupancic says his family’s favorite flavors are Buffalo Blue and Green Onion. They also sell several flavors of Smoked Brats, including Mushroom & Swiss, Homestyle, Jalapeño Cheddar, Cheddar, Wild Rice and Pepper Jack. Babbitt’s Zapps has a really nice selection, allowing you to think of different toppings to add or just enjoy the brats as is. They also have a great deli section with pasta and potato salads, deviled eggs, baked beans, coleslaw and more.
Another popular menu item not to be missed is the Birch Lake Speed Boat, a jalapeño popper-inspired appetizer topped with Zup’s famous Italian sausage.
For an easy dessert, I found Kemp’s Red, White and Blueberry Ice Cream in the frozen food section and topped it off with a puff pastry bowl, fresh berries and colorful sprinkles.
